JO SWINSON has won a landslide victory to become the first woman leader of the British Liberal Democrats.

She trounced ex-cabinet member Ed Davey in the battle to replace Vince Cable and insisted she now had a realistic chance to be UK prime minister.

Ms Swinson, who had been the bookies’ favourite to take the party crown, beat Mr Davey by 47,997 votes to 28,021 in a ballot of party members which had a 72pc turnout.

The East Dunbartonshire MP, who has served as Mr Cable’s deputy since June 2017, pledged to do “whatever it takes to stop Brexit”.

She promised to lead not only the party, but also the “bigger, open liberal movement our country so desperately needs”.

Ms Swinson said: “Boris Johnson is likely to take the keys to Number 10 and set us on a path to a damaging no-deal Brexit. Stopping Boris, and stopping Brexit, is my number one priority as leader.

“That job starts with winning the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election to bring Jane Dodds to parliament, cut Johnson’s wafer-thin majority and take us a step closer to stopping Brexit.”

Mr Davey was energy secretary in the coalition government under David Cameron.

Ms Swinson triumphed at a time when the Lib Dems are enjoying a revival due to their opposition to Brexit.

The party has 12 MPs – bolstered by Chuka Umunna’s decision to join last month – and came second in the European elections, winning 20pc of the vote share.

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